Wire fencing.



Patented Jan. I6, 1900.

A. w. SPRAGUE.

WIRE FENCING.

(Application fild Nov. 24, 1896.)

(N0 Mpdel.)

m: Nuams PEYERS Co. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGYON, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR W. SPRAGUE, OF DE KALB, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO THE AMERICAN STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WIRE FENCING.

'srncrrronrrron forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,413, datedJanuary 16, 1900.

A li ation fil d November 24, 1896. Serial No. 613,258. (No model.)

T0 o whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. SPRAGUE, of De Kalb, Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Fencing, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of fencing in which a series of tieor stay wires are interwoven with wire cables constituting thelongitudinal strands of the fencing; and the object of the invention isto provide a fencing of this character in which the tie or stay wiresare so constructed and interwoven with the cable-strands as to preventthe separation of the parts and to make a strong and efficient fence.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a section of fencingconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlargeddetail of one of the joints, the View being taken from the side oppositeto that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the joint, showingthe strand-wires in section.

In carrying out my invention I employ for the longitudinal strands ofthe fence a series of cables each composed of a plurality of wires A B,twisted together. Said cables are connected transversely at intervals byties or stays D, said ties or stays each consisting of a single wirehaving formed therein at intervals corresponding to the length of thespaces between the cables loops or eyes cl e. It will be noted thatthese loops are laterally offset from the body of the wire D, and thebodies of the loops are disposed in planes parallel to the plane of thecables. In the formation of these loops or eyes it will be observed thatthe portions f g are offset laterally from the body D and by crossingeach other are interlocked. The loops being disposed in planes parallelto the bodies of the ties or stays and to the cables, the cable-strandsare drawn into the spaces between the loops and the bodies of thestay-wires and twisted together between adjacent ties or stays, thustightly embracing the'interlocked portions f g, while the loops 'serveas guards to prevent the lateral separation of the tie or stay and thecable. It will also be noticed that the spaces between the bodies of theloops and the bodies of the tie or stay wires are about equal indiameter to the diameter of the strand-wires, and from this it resultsthat the cable-wires are effectually held; but it will also be obviousthat the joint or connection is of such character as to afford thenecessary flexibilityin stretching the fabric up over uneven ground. Itoften happens in erecting fencing of this character that thelongitudinal cables are so stretched as to cause the tie or stay wiresto assume a diagonal position, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig.1, and this is made possible by the character of the connection.

The loops of the stay-wire are, it will be noted, not only disposed inplanes parallel to the plane of the cables2'. a, the general plane ofthe fence-but also located in practically the same plane, both of saidloops being on the same side of the plane of the fence and lyingparallel therewith, thus entirely obviating the projection of the loopson one side of the fence and reducing this projection to a minimum onthe other side thereof.

It will be noted that the guard-loops present in outline the form of thefigure 8, the loops being circular; but of course the exact outline ofthe loop is immaterial, and its contour will depend upon the characterof the machine upon which it is formed.

I claim- A wire fencing comprising in combination a plurality oflongitudinal cable-strands and a plurality of transverse ties or stays,said ties or stays each consisting of a single wire having its bodyportion crossed upon itself and twisted to provide oppositely-projectingloops lying in the same plane parallel with the plane of the fence, saidcrossed portions being offset from the plane of the body of thestay-wire and embraced by the cable-Wires, the latter being twistedtogether between adjacent stays, substantially as described.

ARTHUR W. SPRAGUE.

lVitnesses:

BENJAMIN SEARLEs, FAY L. TERWILLIGER.

